Drain the Swamp Act

Financial Integrity for Officials: By banning the trade of covered investments and participation in prediction markets, the bill aims to prevent conflicts of interest among the President, Vice President, and Members of Congress (Sec. 102; Sec. 1402; Sec. 1402(a)).

Accountability During Government Shutdowns: The bill requires a reduction in pay for Members of Congress if a government shutdown or a reach of the public debt limit occurs, ensuring officials share the burden of fiscal standoffs (Sec. 202; Sec. 203).

Supreme Court Term Limits and Ethics: The bill establishes 18-year terms for Supreme Court Justices and creates an Office of Ethics Counsel and an Office of Investigative Counsel to provide guidance and investigate potential violations (Sec. 302; Sec. 502; Sec. 503).

Checks on Presidential Power: The legislation prohibits presidential self-pardons and requires congressional oversight for certain pardons involving specific high-level targets (Sec. 602; Sec. 604).

Protection of Democracy and Voting Rights: The bill includes the "John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act" to address vote dilution and denial, and a constitutional amendment designed to allow Congress and States to regulate political spending (Sec. 1102; Sec. 701).

Increased Transparency in Campaign Spending: The bill requires covered organizations to disclose beneficial owners and detailed information regarding campaign-related disbursements (Sec. 802).

Increased Transparency in Judicial Nominations: The bill requires disclosure of payments made by covered organizations for communications that support or oppose federal judicial nominees, which aims to show the public who is funding these efforts (Section 803).

Fairer Redistricting Processes: By establishing a specific order of priority for redistricting criteria—including population equality and compliance with the Voting Rights Act—the bill aims to ensure districts represent communities of interest more effectively (Section 1004).

Prevention of Partisan Gerrymandering: The bill prohibits states from using redistricting plans that have the intent or effect of materially favoring or disfavoring a political party (Section 1004).

Protection Against Voter Dilution and Denial: The updates to the Voting Rights Act provide more detailed factors for courts to consider when determining if a voting practice results in the dilution or denial of rights for protected classes (Section 1102).

Enhanced Public Information on Voting: The bill requires states to provide public notice regarding changes to polling place resources, such as the number of voting machines and poll workers, which can help voters prepare (Section 1107).

Expanded Voting Rights Enforcement: The bill allows "an aggrieved person" to institute actions regarding voting qualifications or prerequisites that might violate constitutional amendments or federal law (Section 1109(b)).

Improved Access to Voting Relief: In cases seeking equitable relief, courts are instructed to give "substantial weight to the public's interest in expanding access to the right to vote" (Section 1111(b)(1)).

Support for Small Jurisdictions: The Attorney General is directed to make annual grants to "small jurisdictions" to assist them in complying with notice requirements under the Voting Rights Act (Section 1117(a)).

Increased Accountability for Officials: The bill mandates the forfeiture of federal retirement benefits for Members of Congress and Cabinet members if they are "finally convicted" of specific felonies committed while in office (Section s 1201(a)).

Accountability for Former Presidents: Former Presidents convicted of certain felonies may lose their monetary allowances and are required to repay specific amounts received during the period leading up to their conviction (Section 1202(h)(1)).

Prevention of Unfair Financial Advantage: The PREDICT Act prohibits "covered individuals," including the President and members of Congress, from participating in transactions dependent on the occurrence of specific political events (Section 1402(a)).

Financial Burdens for Officials: Members of Congress may face financial penalties or loss of pay due to trading violations or government shutdowns (Sec. 102; Sec. 203).

Changes to Supreme Court Service: The implementation of 18-year terms would result in current Justices being deemed to have retired from regular active service (Sec. 302).

Legal and Financial Risks for the Presidency: The bill introduces new restrictions on the President's ability to accept payments from Federal or State funds and prohibits certain payments from individuals receiving clemency (Sec. 631; Sec. 632).

Impact on Political Organizations: The bill aims to limit the authority of corporations to operate separate segregated funds for political purposes (Sec. 902).

Burden on Organizations for Disclosure: Organizations may face new requirements to include information in statements when making large payments related to judicial nominations (Section 803).

Restrictions on Corporate Political Activity: Under the "Ban Corporate PACs Act," corporations may be limited in their ability to establish or operate separate segregated funds for political purposes, restricting them primarily to nonprofit corporations (Section 902).

Potential Legal Complexity for States: The new redistricting rules create a detailed process where states must meet specific criteria or face lawsuits and the potential for a court to develop a replacement plan (Section 1006).

Increased Requirements for Local Jurisdictions: Local political subdivisions may face new obligations to provide public notice regarding changes to voting-age population data and electoral district boundaries (Section 1107).

Increased Burden on Defendants in Voting Cases: When considering preliminary relief, courts must consider whether the "hardship imposed on the defendant... will be less than the hardship which would be imposed on the plaintiff" (Section 1110(2)(A)).

Loss of Benefits for Officials: Members of Congress, Cabinet members, and former Presidents face the loss of pension and/or monetary allowances upon being "finally convicted" of specific crimes (Sections 1201 and 1202).

Restrictions on Lawsuits: The bill amends the Federal Tort Claims Act to include exceptions for claims brought by the President and certain relatives, and requires an ad hoc committee of Congress to approve claims brought by former Presidents (Section 1301).

Financial Penalties for Prediction Market Trading: Individuals classified as "covered individuals" who violate the restrictions on prediction market trading face fees equal to ten percent of the transaction value and must disgorge profits (Section 1402(c)(1)).